The commonwealth of Pennsylvania has agreed to pay a $48.8 million settlement after claims that it improperly handed out food stamp and welfare benefits to ineligible immigrants for several years, using federal funds.

The Department of Justice claimed that Pennsylvania’s Department of Human Services (DHS) incorrectly used federal funds from 2004 to 2010 to dispense Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, also known as food stamps, and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families benefits, also known as wel...